Red Cap
by Cold Fire Phoenix
Summary: A Christmas theme about the wondrous joys of caroling, friends, and words thought stolen by the wind.


Kagome paused on the well's lip, staring into the blackness that she had just emerged from. She recalled the snow crystals that had been falling from the sky, masking once familiar landscape. Masking the features of her friends.

The young woman had told them that she needed to return, had promised her mother she would do so in fact. Only Shippou digressed. Miroku nodded his understanding, while Sango gave her a small, sad smile. Inuyasha hadn't said a word, though shortly afterward he had gone away.

Kagome had known where to. Trudging through the deepening drifts, she had found the base of the Go-shinboku. Inuyasha was somewhere in its branches, silent in the silence. "Inuyasha?" she had called out, not expecting or receiving an answer. As a gust of wind drove the falling flakes into her face, stinging, Kagome allowed herself to smile. "Merry Christmas, Inuyasha."

Placing the package she carried the whole time on the pristine snow, Kagome turned to go. Her last words had been stolen by the wind, but she had said them none the less.

"I love you," she repeated to herself, throwing the words back down the well's darkness. "You silly hanyou." Swinging her other leg over to the firm ground surrounding the well, Kagome sighed. Officially, it was the day before Christmas. That was why Kagome had entrusted Kaede with the burden of everyone else's gift in the past. All with exception to Inuyasha.

She had known that he would never admit to getting something from her. So instead, Kagome had spared his pride by following him when the others had stayed inside.

In retrospect, her 'frolic' in the snow hadn't been the most intelligent thing she had done. Yet it was worth the effort at the same time. Worth whatever the consequences were to herself.

Walking up the stairs with her large backpack, Kagome had to stifle her laughter. She had just been thinking of Inuyasha dressed up as Santa. Some things she'd never see, but were fun to think of anyway.

Sliding the door to the miniature shrine open, Kagome was met with the brilliant field of snow that was her courtyard. On the far side, her little brother played, making a snowman. Spotting Kagome, Souta waved. Waving back, Kagome began forging a trail to the house. By the time she had reached the front door, both her mother and grandfather were there waiting. The crunch of snow under Souta's boots forewarned his approach.

"Kagome," her mother said with a smile and opening of her arms, "You did come home."

Rushing into her mother's embrace, Kagome smiled in return. "It's Christmas, Mama. I'll always come home."

Her grandfather gave a watery smile, and after her mother released her Kagome embraced him as well. "It seems like I'm getting my present a day early this year." He said. Laughing, Kagome unwound her arms from him.

"No, Grandpa. You'll be waiting with everyone else." Kagome purposely misunderstood him. She didn't need a reminder of how much her family missed her when she was gone.

"Where's big brother Inuyasha?" Souta queried as he threw himself at Kagome.

A brief pang of sadness crossed the teenager's face. Her voice reflected none of it. "He's at his-" she faltered. _Does Inuyasha even have a home?_ "He's not here."

"Oh. Okay." Souta looked concerned for a moment before turning his attention back to the snow.

Her mother placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, lightly. "Honey, you need to get ready."

Kagome met her mother's gaze blankly. "For what?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, knowing her daughter's forgetfulness concerning things taking place in this time. The past had been more pressing, and unfortunately dangerous than the present. Once more, the older woman wondered where her daughter's future lay. _Now or then?_ "You're going caroling with your classmates, remember?"

Understanding flooded Kagome's face. "Oh. Right." She walked indoors with her mother, before hastily going up the stairs. "How much time do I have 'till they get here?"

Her mother answer nonchalantly. "Oh, a few minutes."

Kagome's eyes widened as she hurried to her room, closing the door forcefully behind her. "What to wear, what to _wear_?" Rifling through her clothing, she pulled out an older pair of jeans that she had been traditionally wearing to go caroling. They had been her mother's years ago.

Grabbing her red "I'm A Reindeer!" shirt, Kagome half jumped around her room, pulling the pants and shirt on simultaneously. The quick observation that she was very glad no one she knew could see her right now hurried the process.

Pulling on her softest socks (Which were followed by her woolen ones for added warmth), Kagome dashed back down the stairs. "Mama, do you know where my boots are?"

Looking behind her shoulder, Kagome didn't see him until it was too late. "Oh! I'm so sorry-" looking up at the man she had just crashed into, she found herself smiling sheepishly, "Houjou." Straightening, Kagome gave the slightly older teen a confused look. "I didn't know you were caroling with us, Houjou."

Houjou smiled back, unconsciously straightening his jacket. "I'm supposed to help escort the third graders. Since everyone will be meeting at the park, I decided to stop by here to walk you there. I'm sorry if I was presumptuous." He bowed his head a little, smiling nervously.

Kagome couldn't help but give him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, Houjou." The way his face lit up at her words almost made her wish she had never uttered them. Houjou was nice. . . Though almost frighteningly so. Kagome shook off the caustic thought quite literally.

Houjou sent her a concerned glance. "Are you feeling up to this, Kagome? If you're sick, I don't want you to push yourself." Houjou looked almost pathetically concerned, though Kagome didn't notice this genuine feeling as she was too busy wishing she could knock some sense into her grandfather's head. How many invented diseases had she been 'diagnosed' with up to now?

Kagome heard Houjou the third time he spoke. "Hai, Houjou, never felt better. I'm just a bit. . . " she searched for the word she needed, "Preoccupied."

He nodded, her all knowing puppy-dog follower. Houjou was eternally puzzling to the teenager who had never encouraged her fellow student's advances. He was so. . .

Obtuse.

Kagome refused to let it bother her, fishing her boots out of storage and pulling them on her feet. _Maybe I should take these back with me._ Of course, then she'd have less of an excuse for Inuyasha to carry her. _Maybe not._

Houjou was surprisingly silent as he and Kagome walked through the softly falling snow, a smile on his face as he pointed out the Christmas lights someone had used to decorate their car. "Crazy, isn't it?"

"I think it's wonderful," Kagome said, knowing Houjou had not been insulting the decorations. "I think everything is just so wonderful."

If Houjou was surprised by the sheer energy behind Kagome's statement, he said nothing. He said nothing to her upturned face, to the smile of joy as she stuck out of tongue and tried to catch a snowflake. Kagome hadn't been able to catch snowflakes for years, and her luck hadn't changed.

Feet crunching on the gathering powder, the two arrived in the park, Houjou waving to the third graders while Kagome waved to her friends, who were enthusiastically calling out her name.

"Are you sure about this, Kagome?" Eri looked her friend over, searching for a sign of illness.

"We don't want you to push yourself, Kagome-chan," Arimi chimed in.

"I'm fine, guys," Kagome responded, embarrassed.

Houjou beamed at the three girls in front of Kagome. "I'd have never let her outside if she was feeling ill, ladies." Arimi, Yuka, and Eri all nodded, smiling knowingly. "Still," Houjou continued, voice low and meant only for Kagome to hear, "Please tell me if you begin to feel ill, Higurashi." With that, he was gone.

Kagome was more glad for his absence, if her girlfriends did not appear to be as happy.

"Oh, Houjou-kun is so kind! Why are you still with that violent guy, Kagome?" Yuka looked displeased, but Kagome was saved from having to answer by the teacher's call.

"Come on," she said, beaming at her friends, "Let's go sing our hearts out."

Voices chorused up and down the streets, the class of third-graders watched over and joined by the senior junior high schoolers. Most the melodies were sung in English, the hope being that children participating would be honing language skills at the same time. If so, the general delight and good-will flowing about overshadowed the education. The kids were having too great a time.

"Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright..." The final carol was one of Kagome's favorites, if for the melody and not the words. The kids still remaining sang with revere, standing in a circle underneath a park light at the end of the route. Parents were arriving to take their flush cheeked children home to warm blankets and stories. Excitement and anticipation ran high through everyone's veins, most especially the children. Tonight, magic was in the air.

For them, it was Santa. For Kagome, it was something she couldn't define.

"I know a caftan near here that's open all night tonight," Yuka trilled, pleased with herself. Houjou had already gone home, apologizing profusely to an unconcerned Kagome. None of Kagome's friends had been particularly happy at his leaving.

"Sounds good to me. You up for it, Kagome?"

"Sure," Kagome said, peering off into the night. "I am a bit cold."

"Then why didn't you say so?" Eri cried, grabbing Kagome's mittened hand with her own. "We haven't a moment to lose!"

And they were off, wrapped up tight in their laughter. The girls slowed to a walk when Arimi and Yuka began sliding on black ice, no one particularly caring to take a fall, especially not to be first to do so.

"I love this time of year." Kagome drew in a deep breath, lingering at the tail end of the group.

"I do too. Best yet, I get to be Santa this year!" Eri's grin was wide.

"What?"

"How can that be?" Yuka chimed in.

"Well, I asked my parents, and they said it was okay, especially since I told them what my sister wanted this year." Eri was well pleased with herself.

Yuka shook her head, starting to slip again in the process.

"Careful!" Arimi called out, steadying her friend by grabbing her flailing arm.

"Thanks," Yuka said before pointing. "We're here!"

The café spilled a warm, creamy golden light onto the snow on the sidewalk and street outside. A charming depiction of snow people lovers sharing coffee while Santa's reindeer flew by decorated the windows, and a sprig of mistletoe hung with bells over the door. At the sight of the mistletoe, everyone giggled.

"You first," Arimi said, pushing Yuka forward. The other girl sniffed, as if affected deeply by her friend's treachery, but bravely pushed on inside. Laughing, Arimi followed, and then Eri. Kagome smiled at their antics, slowest to pass through the door. Once she went inside, she would lose the calm, the liberating silence of the snowfall and the snail's pace of life that surrounded her.

Sighing, she pushed forward, grabbing the handle and pulling back, feeling her feet fly out from underneath her at that moment. Kagome closed her eyes, waiting for the embarrassing fall that was inevitable.

Then opened her eyes again as she felt two arms wrap around her waist, preventing her fall. In surprise, she gazed into a pair of molten amber orbs, her mouth opening in an 'o' of surprise. "Inu-"

"Oi, Kagome-chan! You're underneath the mistletoe!" Arimi's not quite helpful cry caused Kagome to blush a brilliant crimson.

"Yeah, Kagome-chan!" Yuka chimed in, mischievously. "You know the tradition – now you two have to kiss!"

Inuyasha's own face was ablaze, hidden partially by his mass of silver hair. He brought Kagome to her feet again, eyes not quite meeting hers.

Kagome looked toward the ground. "Listen, Inuyasha, you can just ignore them-" She stopped at the feeling of his hand on her face. So gentle, and softer than she had imagined.

"Thank you," Inuyasha whispered, peering into Kagome's eyes while she noticed for the first time the red cap that sat on his head, her gift to the hanyou. And then, before she could respond, he was gone.

"Ah, where'd your savior go?" Yuka queried, coming back to join Kagome in the door frame. "That was odd. Anyhow, you'd better come all the way inside, the clerk is starting to look upset-"

"I have to go."

Yuka was taken aback. "What? What happened? Did that guy do something to you?" An angry light came over Yuka's face. "If he did anything to you, I swear-"

_Strange, considering you were urging me to remember tradition with what was to you a total stranger moments ago. _"No, no, nothing like that, I just remembered I... I promised my mother I would be home before ten."

Arimi and Eri walked over, hearing the tail end of Kagome's excuse. "Oh, dear, you'd better get going then. Are you going to be okay?"

She smiled. "Yes, Eri, I'll be fine. Merry Christmas, guys!"

"Merry Christmas!" they called after her, as she flew back out into the night. Their call lingered with Kagome as she raced the sidewalks, running home as fast as she could.

_Why had Inuyasha been here, least of all why the thank you? _Too many thoughts were racing through her mind, falling faster than the flakes of snow. Wisps of a melody twirled about in her mind, nameless as she sought home, scaling the stairs of the shrine and bursting onto the terrace atop with lungs on fire. Nameless as she moved toward the well, the warmth of exertion and adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Nameless no more when she felt him behind her, afraid.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, turning around to face him, sad cap she'd crocheted atop his head, covering his feather-soft ears.

_Silent night..._

"Kagome?" he said somewhat gruffly, not meeting her eyes. "Listen, I already said thank you, so don't-"

_Hanyou's night..._

Kagome stepped toward him, mittened hand grabbing a hold of his sleeve. "I heard, Inuyasha," she said, searching for his eyes behind the bangs that haphazardly hid his face.

_All comes out..._

His breath caught as he watched her raise the other mittened hand to her mouth, pulling the mitten off with her teeth and letting it fall into the snow. The hand, unfettered, rose to his forehead, brushing aside errant tendrils with infinite care and tenderness. "Kagome, I-" he began, his voice trailing off.

_Quite alright..._

She steeled her nerves, her hand trailing around to the back of Inuyasha's head as she leaned forward, pulling him down to her, meeting his parted lips with her own.

_Distant urges, a kiss so mild..._

The world didn't stop – time did not either. For Inuyasha, it seemed to slow, however. The fulcrum of his existence, his life felt anchored in that moment, Kagome's lips pressed against his own. Feather light, burning hot.

_Can't you see I'm no longer a child..._

She drew back, eyes lowered. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she whispered, heart beating erratically. Butterflies, if late in rising, brushed against the insides of her stomach now, nervous.

_Such a tender release..._

He paused, drawing deeply of the night air. A blush stained his face, the heat burning less than the lingering thought of her lips on his own. "Merry Christmas, Kagome," he said at last. His voice lowered, as if he was afraid to say what came next. "I love you," he said, throwing the words down between them. "You silly woman."

_Such a tender release._

A/N: Be proud! Merry Christmas to all, and may it now be said that three years of writing one dang fic pays off in a self indulgence trip! Yes, well, not perfect, especially not at the end, but I wanted some parallel, and hell, I enjoyed finally being able to do something I've always wanted to do...

Use mistletoe.

:: smile ::

Do tell me if you enjoy, friends. Happy Holidays to all, and to all a Great Time!


End file.
